Our Student Results | Collegewise

Our Admissions Results & Student Outcomes

Great results mean finding a school where your student will thrive, and giving them the skills to actually do it. We know rigid blueprints and pre-scripted success don’t work. Mapping out every detail of a student’s journey from day one cuts out the possibility for anything interesting to happen. And that’s no way for a student to stand out.

When we guide, influence, and coach, always letting the student lead with who they are, students are happier, more compelling, and more successful college applicants. Our results prove that when you focus on the human first, the fit and the college acceptance take care of themselves.

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Time Management & Executive Functioning

We teach students to treat the admissions process like a professional project. They learn to independently manage complex timelines and take full ownership of their work—building the college readiness skills to succeed without you nagging them at home.

Authentic Leadership

Colleges don't want title-collectors; they want changemakers. We guide students to move beyond passive participation and create tangible impact. The result is a resume defined by initiative and real-world success, not just club memberships.

Self-Awareness

To stand out, a student must articulate who they actually are. We help them identify their core strengths and translate them into essays that are authentic, mature, and distinct—demonstrating the personal character that admissions officers prioritize.

Results at the Colleges Students Dream About

Each year, Collegewise students are admitted to a wide range of exceptional schools, from Ivy League universities and top public flagships to small liberal arts colleges and specialized programs. We have the expertise to not only ensure that your student will be accepted to the college of their dreams, but also that they are well prepared for the university experience.

Across many of the country's most selective colleges, Collegewise students are admitted at rates 1.5 – 4x higher than the national acceptance average. The table below compares our students' acceptance rate multiplier directly against the university's general acceptance rate.

If the only result of our work is an acceptance letter, we haven’t done our job. College is the beginning of the journey, not the end of the road. While we are obsessive about the quality of the applications, we are equally focused on the human being behind them.

Our mentorship is designed to build the essential life skills, such as resilience, self-reliance, and time management, that your student needs to actually thrive once they move into their dorm. By navigating this high-stakes process with a calm expert, they learn to handle pressure, manage their own deadlines, and communicate like adults.

We help them take ownership of their future so that when they arrive on campus, they aren't just a student who "got in." They are a confident young adult who knows exactly why they are there and is ready for everything that comes next..

Essays are often the ultimate tiebreaker.

Here's something many families don't realize: for highly qualified applicants with similar grades and scores, the essay is often the ultimate tiebreaker.

Admissions officers read thousands of applications, and this is their one chance to hear a student's authentic voice and see how they think. A genuine story about a small, meaningful moment is almost always more powerful than a predictable essay about a major accomplishment, especially in supplemental essays which are a critical test of a student's genuine interest.

Proven Results, Backed by Experience

With the wisdom of guiding 30,000 families over 25 years, there’s no admissions challenge we haven’t seen or solved. That experience translates into real, measurable success: over 92% of our students get into one of their top three colleges.

A Team of True, Passionate Admissions Experts

Many of our counselors have sat on the other side of the desk, with experience as former admissions officers at institutions like the University of Chicago, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins. This ensures the guidance your family receives is informed by a 360-degree perspective.

A Truly Personal Guidance

Collegewise began with our founder driving to a family's house, sitting at their kitchen table. That kitchen-table ethos—of personal commitment and shared responsibility—remains at the heart of our work.

A Clearer Path, A More Confident Student

Our role is to combat fear with facts, replacing overwhelm with a clear, step-by-step roadmap so you always know what’s next. By creating a constructive environment, we help students take on challenges with confidence.

Top-Rated & Referred by Thousands

An incredible 9 out of 10 families refer us to their friends. On Trustpilot, Collegewise holds a 4.9-star rating from over 490 reviews—the most in our industry. The numbers speak for themselves.

The Right College for Your Student

We don't believe in a one-size-fits-all definition of success. We excel at helping all types of students—the high-achiever, the developing artist, the future engineer—discover the path that is uniquely right for them.

The Most Trusted Voice in Admissions

Our commitment is to share knowledge honestly. We are proud to partner with respected organizations like the Common App and Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative and give back through our pro-bono scholarship program.

Premium Guidance, Smarter Value

We provide elite-level college guidance, structured to be a more strategic investment than other six-figure programs, delivering an unparalleled return on one of the most important investments you'll ever make.

Years of Experience

3000

Families Guided Since 1999

73500

Average financial aid package

The Collegewise Difference

In today’s competitive admissions landscape, the right guidance can change everything. Our results speak for themselves: students we work with earn significantly higher acceptance rates at top universities compared to the general applicant pool. Check the percentage increase of Collegewise students' admission rate over the general rate.

363

YALE UNIVERSITY

336

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

332

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (NYU)

250

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

235

USC

120

UCLA

327

RICE UNIVERSITY

336

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

332

NYU

98%

of Students a Admitted
to One of Top 5 Choices

35,000+

Families Guided

26+

Years of Experience

$73,500

Average Scholarship & Grant Aid

Lindsey Conger was my counselor and she was the ABSOLUTE BEST OF THE BEST. She was especially helpful with the essay writing process... and also super helpful at keeping me organized and on track... Because of Lindsey, I got into my #1 college that I also dreamed of getting into, and I would not have been able to do it without her. She's the best!

Jacob Lieberman

Dec 11, 2025
Working with Collegewise and our counselor, Ida Lonnqvist, was an absolute game-changer for our college application process. Ida not only helped us to focus and organize our timeline - but she also made the process enjoyable and FUN for our family! We highly recommend working with her and Collegewise!

Rebecca Krattiger

Jan 12, 2026
Sarah Turner was my counselor and she was the best!! She was extremely helpful, especially throughout the essay brainstorming process, and supportive of my ideas. She also ensured that I stayed on track and started the application process early. With her help, I got into my top school!

S.A.

Jan 12, 2026
I am so grateful to have worked with Lynne O'Shaughnessy throughout my college process. She consistently helped me stay calm and confident during such a stressful time. At the same time, she made sure that I stayed organized and on top of every deadline. Her guidance and feedback truly strengthened my applications.

Victoria

Jan 10, 2026
Working with Liz Albertelly as a college Counselor was a dream come true! She was so positive all the time, extremely helpful, and a joy to meet with. (And I got into my top school!) I would 100% recommend to anybody interested!

Nora Beach

Dec 19, 2025
We truly could not be happier with our experience at Collegewise. Lynne O'Shaughnessy was our daughter's counselor, and she was exceptional... She brought professionalism, clarity, and structure to a complex and stressful process, while always remaining deeply human and supportive. The outcome was the one we were hoping for.

Marcela Melero

Jan 8, 2026
Our daughter worked with Sarah and we are extremely pleased with how the process worked... Sarah is extremely knowledgeable, professional, respectful, and patient! She was quick to respond to questions... and the fact that Sarah is very easy to talk to, made the college application process smooth for our daughter and with limited stress.

SG

Jan 6, 2026
Collegewise really helped me see beyond the haze of college application anxiety... I was able to center my application on my authenticity and communicate to colleges exactly who I am. Super duper big shout out to my #1 cheerleader in this process, Lori Jones! (...) Her research and attention to detail were also impeccable...

Jana Orief

Jan 1, 2026
Navigating college admissions can be stressful... partnering with Collegewise was the best decision we've made. Having an external counselor allowed us to focus on our role as parents - listening, encouraging and supporting - instead of pilling on the stress... Most importantly, it allowed my daughter to take ownership of the whole process.

Patricia Amaral

Dec 27, 2025
Our experience with this company has been excellent, mainly because of our phenomenal college counselor, Christopher Logan. Christopher ensured that both our daughters were on track with their applications and catered their approach to the girls’ different personalities, interests and skill sets. (...) We could not be happier with the results...

Shahbano Bilgrami

Dec 31, 2025
Hanifa Abdul Sabur was incredible! She was thoughtful, and brought an undeniably experienced view of the college admissions landscape to my son's application! I received this service for free through my workplace benefits and would highly recommend others to take advantage of great counselors like her!

Priya Rajan

Dec 22, 2025
I enrolled my daughter with Collegewise when she was a junior in high school. We have had a fantastic experience working with Collegewise team, especially Melissa Royal... Melissa guided her not only as a counselor, but also as a mentor and friend throughout the college application process. I am extremely grateful and thankful...

Akash Sahni

Dec 19, 2025
We began working with Collegewise a few months ago. While there was a small hiccup at the start, we were quickly connected with Shannon Frankel, the Customer Success Manager. She put us at ease. Though we were anxious, she was calm, organized, and took the time to truly listen to our concerns. Her support made a big difference...

Brianna Sabacinski

Dec 19, 2025
From the very first interaction with the staff, it was total professionalism; they really cared about what we were trying to do... Our coach, Sarah Turner, was absolutely the best. We came in knowing nothing about the college process, and Sarah... walked both my son and me through every step. He was accepted to his first-choice school...

Roxanne Spencer

Nov 10, 2025
I worked with Sarah Turner over the last year for the college admissions process and I can't say enough good things about my experience. She consistently held me accountable for submitting my supplemental essays... and gave me great starting points for finding the perfect institutions for me... With all the stressors of senior year, I can confidently say I was almost never stressed about college.

Al Pirani

Dec 17, 2025
Liz Albertelly, our college counselor at Collegewise, was excellent. Her kindness, positivity, resourcefulness, availability, and attention to detail really stood out and helped our son thrive during the entire college application process. We are so grateful we had her to guide us.

Suzanne Moffitt

Dec 16, 2025
While we are pleased with the college outcomes for our kids, we are even more grateful for the time that we were able to share with Sarah Turner and the steady and supportive guidance that she provided them. (...) The end results were always out of our collective control but the process was not. We are forever thankful to Sarah for making sure it was overseen with compassion and kindness.

Kevin Pirani

Dec 16, 2025
My Collegewise counselor, Ida, was extremely helpful and accommodating to any questions or revisions I went to her for. Thanks to her constructive feedback and comments, by the time my UC application needed to be submitted I truly felt confident in my PIQ essays, activities list, and additional information section!! Thank you Ida!

ayden aryeh

Dec 16, 2025
Collegewise, and especially our counselor Mary Finn, made the college application process so much more manageable for our family. Mary helped my son shape a powerful personal statement, refine his additional information section, and gave clear, practical pointers on how to write about his activities. Her guidance helped him present his strengths authentically and confidently...

Lamont &
Ruthie Cannon

Dec 1, 2025
Collegewise was very helpful in providing feedback and encouragement for my UC application. There is plenty of interaction with counselors, like my counselor Ida Lonnqvist, who provide lots of meaningful comments and suggestions for the application, particularly the PIQs.

Veronika Shidlovskaia

Nov 26, 2025

Real Students. Real Outcomes.

We guide students to successful outcomes across the entire spectrum of higher education, from the nation's most selective private universities to top-tier public flagships to excellent liberal arts colleges.

Our goal is always the same: help your student gain admission to a college where they will thrive.

Universities and colleges our students have been accepted include: